Medical Assistant Responsibilities West Chester PA - Find Medical Assistant Programs Near You

How to Choose a Medical Assistant School near West Chester Pennsylvania

West Chester PA medical assistant checking pulse Once you have decided to become a part of the rewarding field of healthcare and enroll in a medical assistant school near West Chester PA, it’s time to select a school that will furnish the right training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing colleges so that you subsequently pick the right one? Many prospective students begin by checking out the medical assistant schools that are nearest to their homes and then gravitate toward those that have the lowest tuition. While location and cost are extremely important such things as accreditation, internship programs and job assistance are important issues as well. You might choose to look into some online medical assistant programs as an option as well (more on that later). The bottom line is that before you select a program you must complete your due diligence and compare all relevant aspects of the schools you are examining. And to help you with that task, we have furnished a few questions that you should ask all of the colleges on your “maybe” list. But prior to starting that review, let’s talk a little bit about the role of a medical assistant and the kind of credentials and training that are offered.

The Duties of a Medical Assistant

medical assistant with West Chester PA nursing home patient The job of a medical assistant can be varied as well as challenging. Essentially their job is to make sure that the West Chester PA hospitals, clinics and other medical care institutions where they work run successfully. Depending on the type or size of facility, they can be more of an administrative assistant, a clinical assistant, or in smaller facilities both. They are responsible for providing direct support to the nurses, doctors and other health professionals but may also be found performing duties at the front desk or in an office. A few of the potential functions of a medical assistant include:

Completing insurance forms and submitting claims
Scheduling and confirming appointments
Taking vital signs and weighing patients
Collecting blood and other fluid and tissue samples
Preparing rooms and instruments for physicians
Supplying basic support during examinations and procedures

Although medical assistants may carry out almost any activity they are authorized to under Pennsylvania law, some prefer to specialize in a particular area and obtain certification. Two of the options offered are for the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) and the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

Medical Assistant Training Programs

Unlike many other healthcare professionals, medical assistants are not mandated to become certified, licensed, or to earn a college degree. However, many West Chester PA health care employers prefer to hire graduates of an accredited medical assistant training school (we’ll cover accreditation later ) that have earned certification. There are generally two choices offered for a formal education. The first and fastest route to becoming a medical assistant is to acquire a certificate or diploma. These programs usually take about one year to finish, a few as little as six to nine months. They are designed to teach the fundamentals of medical assisting and prepare graduates for entry level positions. The second option is to earn an Associate Degree, which are typically 2 year programs available at junior and community colleges together with vocational and technical schools. They are more expansive in nature than the diploma or certificate programs, and include general education courses in addition to the medical assistant training. They often have a clinical component involving an internship with a local medical facility. Associate Degrees are commonly a pre-requisite for and credits can be transferred to a four year Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Assistant Studies or a related field.

Online Medical Assistant Courses

woman attending medical assistant school online in West Chester PA There are many accredited medical assistant programs available online as well. They are an excellent alternative for students who may not have time to attend classes on campus but could fit them in if attended at home. This is a particularly good solution for students who continue to work full time while pursuing their degree or certificate. As an additional benefit, a number of online programs have lower tuitions than the more conventional on-campus alternatives. Supplemental expenses such as for commuting, textbooks and school supplies can be lessened also. Just bear in mind that any requirements for clinical training or internships must still be fulfilled, but they can usually be performed in West Chester PA area medical facilities. If you can earn a degree without the formal structure of going to supervised classes on-campus, then this approach to receiving your education may be the right option for you. Between the online lessons and the clinical training, everything necessary to achieve proficiency to perform as a medical assistant is provided.

Certification Options for Medical Assistants

As previously mentioned, certification is not a legal requirement, but is an excellent choice for those who wish to boost their careers. It will not only help in getting a job after graduation, but it can also help with preliminary salary negotiations. Many potential West Chester PA medical employers just will not employ a medical assistant that has not attained certification or accredited formal training. Among the most popular and arguably the most respected certification is the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) provided by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). In order to apply for the CMA examination, a candidate must be a graduate or will be graduating within thirty days from an accredited medical assistant program. Additional certifications are offered also, such as the CMAA and the CCMA that we previously mentioned which are offered by the NHA.

Topics to Ask Medical Assistant Programs

Questions to ask West Chester PA medical assistant programs Before you can start evaluating your medical assistant school options, you must decide which type of credential you would like to earn, and if you would prefer attending classes on campus or online from home. After those decisions have been made, you can start the process of evaluating medical assistant schools. As we discussed at the beginning of this article, some prospective students restrict their searches to the colleges that are nearest to West Chester PA with the cheapest tuition. Although cost and location are significant qualifiers, they are by no means the only ones. There are several additional issues that you must explore when assessing programs. To help you with that process, below are some questions that you need to ask about all of the schools you are thinking about before making your final selection.

Is the Medical Assistant School Accredited? There are many good reasons to verify that the program you select is accredited. First, accreditation helps ensure that the instruction you receive will be both comprehensive and of the highest quality. Second, if you plan on becoming certified, you must complete an accredited program. Two of the approved organizations for accreditation are the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). If your school is not accredited by one of these agencies, you will not be allowed to take the CMA exam. Also, if you anticipate obtaining a student loan or financial assistance, they are frequently not available for non-accredited programs. And last, as mentioned previously, a number of potential West Chester PA employers will not hire a medical assistant who has not graduated from an accredited college.

What is the School’s Passing Rate? Most of the accredited medical assistant colleges create their programs to prep students to pass one or more certification examinations. First, you need to determine which of the certifications the programs you are looking at are preparing their students to take. If you are interested in taking the CMA for instance, then of course you will need to enroll in a program targeting that certification. Second, ask what the school’s passage rate is for the certification and contrast it to the national average. This is one of the ways to help assess the quality of a college’s program. Of course programs with low rates are those that you will want to avoid.

Which Credentials are Offered? As we previously covered, there are essentially two routes to getting medical assistant training. You can select a diploma or certificate program and receive entry level training in the shortest amount of time, starting at just 6 months, however the average is about one year. Or you can opt to earn an Associate Degree and get a broader education that will require approximately two years to accomplish in a community college or trade school. Whatever program you decide to enroll in, make certain that the colleges you are looking at provide the type of program you are interested in.

Are Internships Available? Many medical assistant schools offer internship programs with West Chester PA area health care providers. They are an excellent means to receive hands-on practical training and experience. They may also assist students develop relationships within the West Chester healthcare community. And as an added perk, they are an advantage on resumes and for job interviews too.

Is Job Placement Support Furnished? Getting that first job may be a challenging task for graduating medical assistant students unless they receive some assistance from a job placement program. Verify that the schools you are evaluating offer job placement assistance in the West Chester PA area and find out what their placement rate is. If a college has a higher job placement rate for its students, it affirms that it has an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. It also indicates that it has a large network of employers to help place students in positions.

How Big are the Classrooms? Class size may be an indicator of how much personal attention you will get throughout your training. Smaller classes and classes with a higher teacher to student ratio are more likely to furnish greater access to instructors and one-on-one interaction. If practical, try to sit in on a few classes before selecting a college to see what the teaching environment is like and how much attention the students receive.

Is Class Scheduling Convenient? If you anticipate attending a medical assistant program while you continue working on a full time basis, it’s important that the school you choose provides classes that fit your schedule. If you have to go to classes at night or on weekends near West Chester PA, make certain that those times are offered. You may be able to fit your classes in more easily with an online college, but you will also need to schedule all internships or practical training that may be required. Additionally, find out what the policy is for making up classes that you may have to miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program near West Chester Pennsylvania?

If you are considering attending a medical assistant school in the West Chester PA area, following is some background information that may be both interesting and useful regarding your future campus location.

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Much of the West Chester University of Pennsylvania North Campus and the Chester County government are located within the borough. The center of town is located at the intersection of Market and High Streets.

The area was originally known as Turk's Head—after the inn of the same name located in what is now the center of the borough.[5] West Chester has been the seat of government in Chester County since 1786 when the seat was moved from nearby Chester in what is now Delaware County. The borough was incorporated in 1799.[6] In the heart of town is its courthouse, a classical revival building designed in the 1840s by Thomas U. Walter, one of the architects for the Capitol in Washington, D.C.[7] In the 18th century West Chester was a center of clockmaking. In the late 19th century the Hoopes, Bro. and Darlington company became a major wheelworks, first for wagons and later automobiles.[8][9] In the early 20th century, an important industry was the Sharples cream separator company.[10] In the late 20th century, Commodore International, one of the pioneers of home computers, giving its headquarters as West Chester, was located approximately a mile northeast of the borough.[citation needed]

The West Chester Downtown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Other listed buildings are the Bank of Chester County, Buckwalter Building, Butler House, Chester County Courthouse, William Everhart Buildings, Farmers and Mechanics Building, First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, New Century Clubhouse, Joseph Rothrock House, Sharples Homestead, Sharples Separator Works, Warner Theater, West Chester Boarding School for Boys, and the components of the West Chester State College Quadrangle Historic District.[11]

Choose the Best Medical Assistant Course West Chester PA

West Chester PA medical assistant student It’s imperative to begin your new career on the right foot by choosing a medical assistant college that will furnish the proper training. Regardless if you’re goal is to begin a career in medical care starting out as a medical assistant or to practice medical assistance as your lifetime career, you need to acquire the appropriate information on available programs before making your decision. There are so many schools providing training these days that you can make a selection based on your individual circumstances and personal preferences. And as we have addressed in this article, confirm that the program you pick is accredited by a recognized agency, for example the CAAHEP. This is especially important if you anticipate taking the CMA certification exam. You came to this site initially because you had an interest in Medical Assistant Responsibilities. But regardless of the type of credential that you intend to earn or if you have decided to attend either an online or on-campus school, be sure to ask the questions we have supplied so you can compare programs and make an informed decision. And by choosing the ideal program you can ultimately start a rewarding career as a medical assistant in West Chester PA.